United Nations Mission for the Verification of Human
Rights and of Compliance with the Commitments of the Comprehensive Agreement
on Human Rights in Guatemala, G.A. res. 51/198, 51 U.N. GAOR Supp. (No. 49)
at 4-5, U.N. Doc. A/51/49 (Vol. III) (1996).

A
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolutions 45/15 of 20 November 1990, 46/109 A of 17
December 1991, 47/118 of 18 December 1992, 48/161 of 20 December 1993 and
48/267 of 19 September 1994, in which it decided to establish the Mission for
the Verification of Human Rights and of Compliance with the Commitments of the
Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights in Guatemala, and its resolutions
49/137 of 19 December 1994, 49/236 A of 31 March 1995, 49/236 B of 14
September 1995 and, in particular, 50/220 of 3 April 1996, in which it decided
to authorize the renewal of the mandate of the Mission for a further period of
nine months and thirteen days, that is, until 31 December 1996,
Taking into account the note by the Secretary-General transmitting the
fifth report of the Director of the Mission,
Taking note of the conclusions and recommendations contained in the
fifth report of the Director of the Mission, regarding compliance by the
Government of Guatemala and the Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca
with their commitments under the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights and
the human rights aspects of the Agreement on Identity and Rights of Indigenous
Peoples,
Acknowledging the support given to the Mission by the Government of
Guatemala and the Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca,
Welcoming the steps taken by the Government of Guatemala to combat
impunity,
Also welcoming the de facto cessation of hostilities as a result of
confidence-building measures taken by both parties,
Encouraged by the progress made in the peace process as reflected in the
signing of the Agreement on Social and Economic Aspects and Agrarian Situation
and the signing of the Agreement on the Strengthening of Civilian Power and on
the Role of the Armed Forces in a Democratic Society, as well as the
announcement by the parties that the agreement on a firm and lasting peace
will be signed on 29 December 1996 in Guatemala City,
Recalling the request of the parties that the United Nations should
verify all the agreements signed by them as reflected in the Framework
Agreement for the Resumption of the Negotiating Process between the Government
of Guatemala and the Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca of 10 January
1994,
Acknowledging the efforts of the Secretary-General, the Group of Friends
of the Guatemala peace process, the United Nations system and other
international agencies in support of the peace process,
Having considered the recommendations of the Secretary-General regarding
the renewal of the mandate of the Mission contained in his report on the
Mission,
1. Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations
Mission for the Verification of Human Rights and of Compliance with the
Commitments of the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights in Guatemala;
2. Takes note with satisfaction of the fifth report of the Director
of the Mission;
3. Calls upon the Government of Guatemala and the Unidad
Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca to continue their efforts to comply with
their commitments under the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights and the
human rights aspects of the Agreement on Identity and Rights of Indigenous
Peoples;
4. Encourages the parties to maintain the current momentum of the
negotiating process in order to ensure that, as they have agreed, the
agreement on a firm and lasting peace will be signed on 29 December 1996;
5. Decides to authorize the renewal of the mandate of the Mission
until 31 March 1997, in accordance with the recommendations of the
Secretary-General;
6. Invites the international community to intensify its support for
the peace process, and in particular for the implementation of the peace
agreements, inter alia, through voluntary contributions to the Trust Fund for
the Guatemala Peace Process established by the Secretary-General;
7. Requests the Secretary-General to submit recommendations as soon
as possible on how the structure and staffing of the Mission should be
redesigned to enable the Mission to fulfil its new responsibilities after the
signing of the agreement on a firm and lasting peace, and to keep the General
Assembly fully informed of the implementation of the present resolution.
B
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolutions 45/15 of 20 November 1990, 46/109 A of 17
December 1991, 47/118 of 18 December 1992, 48/161 of 20 December 1993 and
48/267 of 19 September 1994, in which it decided to establish the Mission for
the Verification of Human Rights and of Compliance with the Commitments of the
Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights in Guatemala, and its resolutions
49/137 of 19 December 1994, 49/236 A of 31 March 1995, 49/236 B of 14
September 1995, 50/220 of 3 April 1996 and, in particular, 51/198 of 17
December 1996, in which it decided to authorize the renewal of the mandate of
the Mission for a further period of three months, that is, until 31 March
1997, and requested the Secretary-General to submit recommendations on how the
structure and staffing of the Mission should be redesigned to enable it to
fulfil its new responsibilities after the signing at Guatemala City on 29
December 1996 by the Government of Guatemala and the Unidad Revolucionaria
Nacional Guatemalteca of the Agreement on a Firm and Lasting Peace,
Recalling also the Framework Agreement for the Resumption of the
Negotiating Process between the Government of Guatemala and the Unidad
Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca of 10 January 1994 and all subsequent
agreements, in which the parties agreed to request the United Nations to carry
out international verification of the peace accords,
Welcoming the agreements between the Government of Guatemala and the
Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca signed at Guatemala City on 29
December 1996, which, together with the overall package of peace accords
signed previously at Madrid, Mexico City, Oslo and Stockholm, put a definitive
end to the internal Guatemalan conflict and will foster national
reconciliation and economic development,
Encouraged by progress made in the verification of the ceasefire, the
separation of forces and the disarmament and demobilization of combatants of
the Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca by the group of military
observers whose attachment to the Mission was authorized by the Security
Council in its resolution 1094 (1997) of 20 January 1997,
Encouraged also by the establishment of the Follow-up Commission, which
will oversee implementation of the agreements, and by the preparatory work
carried out with a view to the establishment of the historical clarification
commission,
Taking into account the note by the Secretary-General transmitting the
sixth report of the Director of the Mission,
Acknowledging the support given to the Mission by the Government of
Guatemala and the Unidad Revolucionaria National Guatemalteca,
Acknowledging also the efforts of the Secretary-General, the Group of
Friends of the Guatemala peace process, the United Nations system and other
international agencies throughout the process that culminated in the signing
of the peace agreements,
Recalling the request of the parties that the United Nations verify all
the agreements signed by them as reflected in the Framework Agreement and
stressed in the Agreement on the Implementation, Compliance and Verification
Timetable for the Peace Agreements,
Recalling also the letter of the Secretary-General to the President of
the General Assembly and the President of the Security Council proposing that
a new mission, to be called the United Nations Verification Mission in
Guatemala, subsume the functions currently performed by the United Nations
Mission for the Verification of Human Rights and of Compliance with the
Commitments of the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights in Guatemala,
Having considered the recommendations of the Secretary-General regarding
the restructuring of the Mission to enable it to fulfil its new
responsibilities and the renewal of its mandate, as contained in his report on
the Mission,
1. Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations
Mission for the Verification of Human Rights and of Compliance with the
Commitments of the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights in Guatemala;
2. Takes note with satisfaction of the sixth report of the Director of
the Mission;
3. Commends the Government of Guatemala and the Unidad Revolucionaria
Nacional Guatemalteca for their sustained efforts in search of peace, which
culminated with the signing of the historic agreement of 29 December 1996;
4. Calls upon both parties to continue to implement fully the
commitments they entered into in the Comprehensive Agreement on Human
Rightsand those in the other agreements that have come into effect with the
signing of the Agreement on a Firm and Lasting Peace;
5. Decides to authorize the renewal of the mandate of the United
Nations Mission for the Verification of Human Rights and of Compliance with
the Commitments of the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights in Guatemala,
to be known henceforth as the United Nations Verification Mission in
Guatemala, for a further period of one year, that is, until 31 March 1998, to
carry out international verification of the peace accords in accordance with
the recommendations of the Secretary-General;
6. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to develop appropriate
means to identify resources for the Mission within the limits of the approved
budget for the current biennium;
7. Also requests the Secretary-General to submit a report to the
General Assembly with his recommendations on the structure and staffing of the
Mission after 31 March 1998;
8. Invites the international community to intensify its support for
peace-related activities in Guatemala, through voluntary contributions to the
Trust Fund for the Guatemala peace process established by the
Secretary-General and through other mechanisms provided for by the
international donor community;
9. Requests the Secretary-General to keep the General Assembly fully
informed on the implementation of the present resolution.
7. Requests the Secretary-General to keep it informed of further
developments in the implementation of the peace process in El Salvador, as he
deems appropriate.
C
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolution 51/198 B of 27 March 1997, in which it extended
the mandate of the United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala until 31
March 1998,
Welcoming the timely implementation of the Agreement on the Definitive
Ceasefire,
Having considered the report of the Secretary-General relating to
verification of the peace accords,
1. Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations
Verification Mission in Guatemala;
2. Takes note with satisfaction of the progress made so far in the
implementation of the peace accords;
3. Commends the Government of Guatemala, the Unidad Revolucionaria
Nacional Guatemalteca and the Guatemalan people, institutions and
organizations for their participation in the implementation process;
4. Encourages the two parties and all sectors of Guatemalan society to
join efforts for the implementation of all steps provided for in the second
phase of the Agreement on the Implementation, Compliance and Verification
Timetable for the Peace Agreements, until 31 December 1997;
5. Reiterates its full support for the comprehensive agenda of
democratic, equitable and multicultural development included in the accords,
and invites the international community to continue cooperating in the
establishment of the most favourable conditions for its realization;
6. Requests the Secretary-General to keep the General Assembly fully
informed about the implementation process in the light of the present
resolution.